Indicating and adjusting mechanism for machine tools



IEKMAN Al. 2,521,312

'HA J. S N El' INDICATING AND ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Sept. 5, 1950 Drgnal Filed Jan. 18, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y ll! 2 l!!! Il |l|i l I Q on; t?) l |I g a l r no f n I W E i 2 u* CO I Il ll n| ill I 59 C w l ai nz M 5L' l m i f3 35 38 5B l f f l x Q Q` l d sg- 0- OO Fg Ln 5% 1' I.. W0 m l 2.5 nyu I U1 H|| o HIM) @HHM m (f) I 2 @g l I4 s V v y d *l l- D) l E m1 l l 0l I l 2 oo i f 'a E INVENTORS.

HAROLD J. SIE/(MANN AND ROSS M. BACON A TTORNEX Sept. 5, 1950 H. J. slEKMANN AL 2,521,312

INDICATI AND AnJusTIN ECHANISM R MACHINE TooLs HARO J. s/EKMA/v/v AND ss Manco/v WNNIISM ATTORNEY.

Sept'. 5, 1950 H J slEKMANN Erm. 2,521,312.

INDICAT'IN AND ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TooLs Yoriginan Filed Jan. 18, 1945 :s sheds-sheet s Patented Sept. 5, 1.950

' INDICTIN'G AND ADJ US'TING MEYCI-ANISM 'FOR MACHINE TOOLS Harold J. Siekmann and Ross M. Bacon, CinVcin-j nati, Ohio, assignors to The R. K. Le Blond Machine 'Tool Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware AOriginal application January 18, 1945, vSerial No. 573,321, now Patent No. 2,464,619, dated March 15,1949. Divided and this application December 8, 1948, Serial No. 64,228

This is a, divisional application of original application Serial Number 573,321, filed January 18,"1945, now patent #2,464,619, issued March This invention relates to improvements in headstocks for lathes.

It Vis an object of our invention to provide a headstock affording a Wide range of speeds wherein all speeds are selected by movement of a single control element. K

Still another objectl is to provide an improved single lever indicating and control lever for a machine tool transmission.

'A further object is to provide critically positioned detent means for a single lever indicating and control mechanism for a lathe headstock which is smooth in operation and accurate in positioning the shifted elements.

And another Objectis to provide a single lever control mechanism which is free from hazard and danger regarding catching the operators clothes or when wiping the machine.

'Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic expanded section through a typical lathe headstock shiftable gear transmission to which this invention is particularly well adapted.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic fragmentary plan view showing the single lever indicating and adjusting mechanism and the associated gear shifting apparatus.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation' of the single lever indicating and control mechanism in Figure 2.

Y Figure 4 is a fragmentary section on the line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Figure 4.

Referring particularly to Figure 1, the headstock housing 8 has a drive shaft 3 journaled in rib portions 8a and 8b thereof, as by bearings 9 and I0. Shaft 3 is journaled exteriorly of housing 8 in bearings 4 and 5 carried by a bracket 6 attached to housing 8 by screws 1. A pulley I, grooved for a belt drive as at 2, is journaled upon a portion of shaft 3 within bracket 6 and is adapted for connection and disconnection with shaft 3 by means of a conventional clutch mechanism indicated generally at la and adapted to be f actuated and controlled by a collar 3a slidable on shaft 3' in a manner well known in the art and as shown, for example, in the patent to Groene, 1,878,495, September 20, 1932.

4 Claims. ('Cl. 744-473) within housing a, shaft a has afxed thereto the triple gear II including gears I2, I3 and I4;

portion of shaft I9,.between rib 8b and the adja-vv cent headstock housingS has a splined portion 28 of reduced size, upon which a compound gear 21, having va correspondingly splined bore, is slidable. VGrear 2l consists of a gear 3U, a pinion 29 and an intermediate collar having a shiftingslot I8. By appropriate sliding of gear ZI by means subsequently described, shaft I9 may be ,selectively rotated at any one of four different speeds.

A pulley shaft 38 is Vjournaled by bearings 39 and 40 in portions 8a and 8b, respectively. This shaft has a splined section 42 at one end and a pinion 31 i-lxed to its other end. A pulley 4I having its periphery grooved for belt driving, is

mounted for rotation with shaft 3B.by means 'of a bore splined to fit sectionA 42.

Spindle 26 is journaled at its rearwardY end by a bearing 3| carried in rib portion 8a, and at its forward end by a bearing 32 carried in the forward headstock housing wall. At its rearward end, spindle '26 has a belt pulley 44 fixed thereto. It also has a pinion 94 fixed to its mid-portion, and a large face gear 35 and smaller gear 36, fixed on its forward end.

` Compound gear 21 is slidable by means subsequentlyvdescribed, intoany one of three positions;

first, wherein pinion 29 meshes with face gear 35 to provide, inconnection with gears II and 2| a range of four slow powerful back gear drive speeds needed for heavy roughing cuts and for turning work vof relatively large diameter; secondly, wherein gear 30 is meshed with gear 36 to provide, in connection with gears Il and 2|, a range of four intermediate spindle speeds; and thirdly, whereinr gear 3U is brought into mesh with pinion 31 upon shaft 38 to drive pulleys 4I,

44 and spindle 26, in connection with gearsV II and 2|, over a range of four high spindle speeds. A range of twelve spindle speeds is thus provided which, for example, may be variously distributed between a low of 25 and a high of 1800* R. P. M.

The axes of spindle 26 and of shaft 38 are relatively fixed and there is provided means for section to form the adjacent faces of the V- grooves. This ring has one'or more axially extending slots or keyways on its inner periphery within which nts the protruding end of a pin 46 xed in the adjacent surface of pulley 44 whereby the ring may have a slight adjustment axially of pulley 44, but is fixed against rotation' relatively thereto. A second ring 41 has one side beveled to form the remaining side of the outer or rearward pulley groove. This ring is screwthreaded on the pulley, as shown in Figure 1, and may be locked in a selected position of rotative adjustment by means of a screw 48 in pulley 44, adapted to engage counterbores 49 in ring 41.

When it is desired to tighten belts43, screw 48 is loosened and ring 41 is turned down on pulley 44. This causes proportional shifting of ring 45, decreases the effective width of the pulley grooves, and lcauses belts 43 to ride at 'a greater radial distance from the spindle axis. As a result, the belts are tightened and, since pulley 4| is splined upon shaft 38, it immediately adjusts its longitudinal position in accordance with the new adjustments whereby both belts run true at all times. Likewise, the belts may be loosened by retrograde rotation of ring 41, while the belts may be removed simply by removing the rings 41 and 45. Spindle 26 is provided with the usual face plate 33 and center 34.

`A` pick off gear 8| is Aprovided for the usual drive to feed box of the lathe. This gear is fixed upon a shaft 82 journaled in the headstock wall and an adjacent rib portion. The shaft 82 is the feeding. shaft or output shaft for the power feed take off lfor actuating the cutting tool of the lathe through the usual mechanism. In effectthis shaft 82, together with the usual lathe mechanism for actuating the tool,` comprises the feeding means or the feeding power take off from the headstock to actuate the lathe tool relative to the work spindle. This shaft 82 may take the form of Ya splined feed shaft by lhaving a splined end -upon which a composite gear 85 comprising gears 83, 84 is slidable. A second composite gear 88, having gears 8B and 81 is journaled upon shaft 82. An idler shaft 93 is rotatably mounted on suitable bearings in the headstock housing 8 and has fixed thereto the gears 90 and 9|, shown as a composite gear 92. A pinion 89 is also secured to idler shaft 93, the arrangement being such that in one position of composite `gear 85, large gear 83 meshes with pinion 89, while in the second position (shown at Figure 1), gears 84 and 98 are in mesh.

A shaft 96 having a splined portion 91 is journaled in bearings in rib portions 8a and 8b, parallel to spindle 26 and separate gears 95 and |12 having splined bores, are mounted thereon. Gear H2 is positioned for engagement and disengagement with gear 96, while gear 95 is positioned for engagement and disengagement with pinion 94 on spindle 26. Thus, when gear 95 is in mesh with pinion 94, feeding power is taken from spindle 26 by way of gear 95, shaft 96, gear ||2, gear 9U: and gear 84 to shaft 82. Or, of course, if a reduced feeding speed is required, then the feeding drive is from pinion 89 to gear 83 and shaft 82.

However, when gear 21 is in mesh with pinion 31 to effect high speed belt driving, the feeding speeds afforded by way of spindle 26 and pinion 94, as just described, are much too high. Therefore., at this time, we provide 'a l`cpn'nection.where by reduced feeding speeds "are available in proportion to spindle speeds. This connection comprises a gear fixed to the inner end of shaft 96, and inv mesh with a gear |69 journaled on a stub shaft |||l fixed in a boss in rib portion 8b. It will be noted that gear 36, in its extreme leftward position of adjustment, meshes with both pinion 31 andrwith gear |09. Therefore, at this Vtime,assumingthat gear 95 has been moved out of mesh'with pinion 94, feeding power is transmitted at speeds much reduced in relation to spindle speeds, by Way of gears 36, |69, shaft 96, gears ||2, 99, v84 (or ||2, 99, 89, 83), to

` shaft 82.

the drive between shafts 96 and 82 is by wayl e e `9u and a4 (or su, gaand 83), to shaft 82.

. The reversing gear` ||2 may be shifted man-` ually by any suitable controlled means.

The three gears 2|, 21, and 95 are shifted in a predetermined sequential relationship by` a Anovel single lever controlled mechanism as best shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. A rockable and axially slidablev shaft |15 is supported at its rearend in a suitable bearing ||6 in heads'tockhousing 8 and has a spool ||1 xed Athereto which operatively' engages ak pin ||8 of thearm ||9 of a bellcrank f lever1|29 pivotally mounted cna pin |2| carried tion thereon by a set screw'l89.

inthe headstock housing v8. The other arm |22 of the bel/lcrank lever has. a" pin |23 xed in its outer end and operatively engaging in thevannular groove |24 of the gearl 2| so that axial movement ofthe shaft ||5 effects axial shifting of vgear 2| to itsV respective shiftable positions.

Also on the shaft ||5 is a shifter lever |25 having a splined bore |26 slidable on the shaft 5 so that it'may be locked by the shaft but still the shaft ||5 may have freedom of axial movement. An integral arm` |21 of the lever |25 has a pin 128 fixed in itsouter end which oper-` atively'engages in the annular groove 18 of the gear 21. Another lever arm |29 integrally connected to lever |25 is connected by alink |39 to a shifter lever |3|. pivotally mounted on a pin.

l Referring to Figures 3 and 4, a sleeve |36 is journaled within the boss. |31r of the headstockv housingvB and is held against'axial movement by a collar |38 threadedly engaging .the inwardly projecting end of said sleeve, vand locked in posi- At its Vouter end, sleeve |36 .is formed with an enlarged portion that is slotted to form ears |49 and |4| between which control. lever |42A is pivoted by a pinv |43 Apassing through aligned holes in the ears and lever, and secured to lever |42, by means of arset Screw |4341. Lever |42 has a slot |44 formed therein having parallel sides embracing the flattened end of a shaft |45. This shaft has a key |46 slidably engaging anaxially-extending keyway |41 formed in sleevel |36, whereby shaft |45 and sleeve |36 are constrained to rotate as a unit butshaft |45 'may slide axially relatively to sleeve |36. A packing 'element |48 is secured within the counterbored inner end uw keyway |41.

The flattened `end of shaft v|45 -has a transverse Y or elongated slot |49 formed Vtherein through which extends `a `pin |5|l passing through and fixed `to the adjacent portions of lever |42 whereby angular movement of lever |42 about the axis of pin |53 may be effected to yproduce a corresponding axial translation of shaft |45. Furthermore, angular movement of lever |42 about the axis of shaft |45 imparts a like movement to sleeve |36.

The several positions of lever |42 in a plane through the axis of shaft |45, are indicated at |42a, |4219, |42c and |4211, Figure 4, and effect corresponding adjustments of the headstock gears 2|, 21 and 95. The positions of lever |42 in a plane normal to the axis of shaft |45, are indicated at |426, |42f and |42g, Figure 3. Positions |42a to |42d, inclusive, are determined by a series of axially spaced notches |5| formed in shaft |45 and positioned to be engaged by a ball or detent |52 positioned within a radially-extending bore |53 in the enlarged external end of sleeve |35 and urged into the respective notches by a spring |54 engaging at its respective ends a plug |55 closing the end of bore |53, and the ball |52. By this construction shaft |45 is yieldingly held in its various positions of axial adjustment when moved thereto .by actuation of lever |42.

Sleeve |35 and shaft |45 are held in their several positions of rotational adjustment by notches |56 circumferentially spaced about the periphery of sleeve |36, and positioned to be engaged by a ball or detent |51 located within a radially-extending bore |58 in the adjacent thickened headstock wall. A compression spring |59 engages at its respective ends, a plug |60 threaded into the end of bore |56 and ball |51, whereby the latter is urged into any one of notches |52 and acts to yieldingly hold sleeve |36 and shaft |45 in the selective rotational positions |426, |42f or 542g. As shown at Figure 4, the inner end of shaft ||5 is drilled at |'5| to receive the reduced end |62 of shaft i5. After the shafts l5 and |45 are drilled and coupled by a pin |64 they function as a single integral shaft.

By this construction, a definite amount of leverage is provided in the axial shifting of shafts |45 and |5, while the facing parallel surfaces of ears |40 and |4| provide a large bearing area for the relatively movable contacting surfaces of lever |42 whereby smooth easy operation to all positions of said lever is assured. As will be noted from Figures 2 and 4, an indicator pointer |65 is fixed to a flattened end portion of shaft |45, by a screw |55. The end of this pointer moves over a chart |51, calibrated as shown in Figure 2, to give the resulting spindle speed for each corresponding position of adjustment of lever |42.

' VV`While we have described the embodiment of our invention as now preferred by us, numerous changes, alterations, and substitutions of equivalents, will be obvious to those skilled in this art.

The foregoing description is therefore to be of speeds, in combination, a sleeve journaled in said casing and having external ears forming a slot therebetween, a shaftaxially slidable through said sleeve concentric with the axis thereof, a lever pivoted on and between said ears, said lever being pivotally connected to said shaft, whereby swinging of said lever in a Yfirst plane normal to the axis of said shaft effects swinging -of said shaft and sleeve, and rotation of said lever parallel to a second plane through the axis of said shaft, translates said shaft, yielding detent means between said casing and said sleeve to maintain said lever in adjusted positions in said first plane, yielding detent means between said sleeve and said shaft to maintain said lever in adjusted position in said second plane, a speed chart mounted on said casing, and an indicator pointer being mounted on said shaft indicatively related to said speed chart.

2. In an indicating and adjusting device for machine tools having a casing, a spindle, and mechanism for driving said spindle at a plurality of selective speeds, in combination, a sleeve journaled in said casing and having a projection external of said casing, a, shaft axially slidable through said sleeve, connections between said shaft and mechanism to adjust said mechanism to the several spindle speeds on rotation and axial translation of said shaft, a lever pivoted on said projection and connected to said shaft, means connecting said sleeve and shaft for relative axial movement only, yielding detent means between said sleeve and casing and also between said sleeve and shaft, a spindle speed chart mounted on said casing, and an indicator pointer fixed on said shaft.

3. In a single lever control mechanism for axially reciprocating and rocking a shaft connected to shift the gearing of a machine tool transmission, a sleeve journaled in the housing for said transmission, means for connecting said shaft to be rotated by said sleeve and to slide axially relative thereto, a pair of spaced ears forming integral with said sleeve, a control lever having its inner end guided between said ears and pivotally mount-ed on said ears to one side of the axis of said shaft, an elongated slotted connection between said lever and said shaft located on the axis of said shaft and sleeve, a speed chart fixed on said transmission housing, and an indicating pointer fixed to said shaft and located between said spaced ears of said sleeve cooperating with said chart to indicate the selected speed.

4. In a single lever control mechanism for axially reciprocating and rocking a shaft connected to shift the gearing of a machine tool transmission, a sleeve journaled in the housing for said transmission, means for connecting said shaft to be rotated by said sleeve and to slide axially relative thereto, a pair of spaced ears formed integral with said sleeve, a control lever having its inner end guided between said ears and pivotally mounted on said ears to one side Yof the axis of said shaft, an elongated slotted connection between said lever and said shaft located on the axis of said shaft and sleeve, a speed chart fixed on said transmission housing, an indicating pointer fixed to said shaft and located between said spaced ears of said sleeve cooperating with said chart to indicate the selected speed, a radially inwardly urged detent means in said transmission housing engaging detent notches on the periphery of said sleeve to position said sleeve in rotary positions in said housing, and radially inwardly urged detent means in said sleeve engagiing detent notches in said shaft to position said shaft axially in said sleeve.

HAROLD J. SIEKMANN.

ROSS M. BACON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Klausmeyer Oct. 2, 1928 Gallimore Feb. 12, 1935 Lovely Oct. 6, 1936 Mobius Sept. 29, 1942 

